11:41 PM,
Nov. 15, 2012

Written by

It may be the smallest of towns with the fewest of government fringes, but North Salem says it cannot keep its tax levy increase for next year's budget beneath the 2 percent cap set by New York.

Instead, North Salem plans to spend $5.5 million in 2013 and raise 4 percent more in taxes than it did this year, in part to pay for a new garbage collection contract and a new sewer district.

The Town Board will vote in two weeks on a law to override the state legislation that caps annual tax levy increases to the lesser of 2 percent or the rate of inflation. Similar displays of budgetary home rule are planned in ...